Raquel is 3!!!!

Raquel turned three yesturday. Thursday we had a birthday party! She was so excited. She got pretty shy when we all sang to her though. It was "Hello Kitty" themed except the pinatas which were dinsoar and pirate. Daddy took lots of pictures, I haven't uploaded them yet. Below are some pictures of her from newborn on. I guess what they say is true that you don't take as many pictures of the youngest had a hard time finding them.

8 pounds 4 oz! I still can't believe how much hair she had!

Her hair stood up for quite a few months.

Walked at 10 months!!!!

first birthday cake!

2 years old

Some of my favorite pictures of Raquel! I can't believe my baby is three already!!

finally a blog

Wow! I can't believe how long it has been since I have had time to blog. I am currently on a small break from school and decided to spend some time blogging. Life has just been absolutely insane. School is a love- hate relationship. I feel guilty for not spending time with my family when I do it, and I feel guilty for spending time doing other things when I "should" be doing school work. I find myself struggling. Sometimes, I think I would rather just be a stay at home mom....that is not even possible.....and then I think about how hard I had to work to become an RN...and how hard I am working to advance my career.






During all of this working full time, going to school full time, raising three girls....All of the girls have all been sick!!!! During which sleep was practically non-existent. Valerie had bronchitis resulting in a habitual cough. Raquel had the stomach flu and then Ally got "mono"; she lost some weight and was having a hard time at school. I felt like my life was falling apart.






I am looking forward to being done in August. It has been a long haul. I don't think anyone would understand what it is like to go to school full time, work full time, and raise a family, especially when two of the children are toddlers, unless they themselves have done it. I hear all of the time "you must be busy!".....ummm that is an understatement.




In the meantime when I have had time to spend with the girls it has been fun. We recently went to Disney on Ice. Ally is becoming a very good reader. Valerie is going to start transitional Kindergarten in the fall. Raquel just turned 3!



Raquel thinks she is a big girl and doesn't need to take a nap..........

Clearly she still needs them!

She also still gets into everything. I love the outfit...PJs with a swimming suit over it! Oh and the lipstick matches so well with the outfit.

All three for a quick picture!

Ally has almost no teeth left! The tooth fairy comes often.

I laugh when the tooth fairy is to come. Usually the girls say how they are gonna catch her. Or Valerie states how last time she came she touched her wings. Ally always comments on how big of hands she had the first time she came. LOL. Oh and one time when the tooth fairy came "he" forgot to take the tooth. Oh... her bag was just too heavy to add another one in.


I keep reminding myself about how I don't remember my mom was in school, when I was young, and that most likely they will not remember how I spent most of my time doing school work.

Winter 2011/Spring 2012

Christmas

 
 Christmas Eve! I attempted to get pictures of the girls in their Christmas dresses...I'm no photographer!

Raquel was more interested in the balloons then taking pictures!!

Layla and Valerie playing house in the play room!

With the Great Grandparents. This is a very rare photo as "Bobby" does not allow photos. He's a little stinker :P

Fun with Sombreros!!

 Christmas Morning opening presents!!

The girls had a little dance recital in December right before Christmas. Valerie kept saying that she would not dance and then kept taking her costume off. But seconds before they started she put her costume on and went out and "busted a move"! She was soo cute. I did not have a video camera. But a mom at the studio did. It is posted on my page on facebook....super cute!!

I don't wanna dance can you tell by this face

Ally in her tap costume. She performed twice!

Silly with Grandma

Raquel turns two

lots of girls!!

she did not want to hit the pinata...just wanted the palletas!

Rockin the cowboy boots :)

thank goodness for costco

once she got the candy she would not put it downs

She ate her cake and sucker at the same time. she had a death grip on that thing!

It has been super busy around here with the transition of Ally to Kindergarten. Two day a week trip to chico for dance classes, going to the gym, ect...Tonight I was thinking my goodness...we are almost never home and when we are it feels like all I do is clean. Cooking is left to Marco! I am not a good cook at all. I am going to be going back to school in May *gulp* ....I have a few trips to San Luis planned YEAH....and  a Triathalon for fun in July!! We are slowly getting ready to potty train Raquel she has gone potty a couple of times, once she got herself onto the toilet and was yelling "Im done" without the use of a stool. She has always been a climber. She is quite the mommy's girl....sometimes I feel like I am going to lose my mind because she hangs all over me and she won't let her dad do anything for her....unless of course she gets into trouble and then she goes running for her daddy. Valerie reminds me all the time how "Im growed up now and ready for preschool". She is my little performer she loves to sing and dance in front of everyone when she is in her silly moods.

Sister Love

Wow I can't believe how long it has been since I have been able to sit down and do this.....
I've take so many pictures over the past months but it is pretty difficult to get good ones of all three of the girls cooperating. I found some pretty cute ones of typically 2 out of the 3.

We went to Chico state one day after dance class to the world music festival where the girls got to make masks. Valerie was pretending to be a lion when wearing her mask. She's growling in this picture. Raquel thinks shes funny :) not scary

Hmm...this was definitely cute....but someone got out of their bed. My little Valerie sleeps on the top bunk. Ally says shes not scared but that Valerie coughs too much if she is on the bottom so she has to sleep up top. Valerie says she's just a chicken.

All three....you see how thrilled they are to be taking a picture all together.

Raquel loves Ally!! She likes to climb up into the recliner with her and cuddle in the mornings before she goes to school. And she is asking where she is until we go pick her up. "Ally?" she says and she points to the gargage door.

This was taken at the pumpkin patch. Ally was helping Raquel pet the animals. One night I came home from work and found Ally holding Raquel like this in the Garage. Raquel's big round belly was hanging out of her shirt. Ally was dancing with her. Wish I would have video taped it...it was priceless.

This is a rare moment....

but look how cute.  normally this ends in someone getting pushed down..crying...ect. Raquel is only 3 inches shorter than Valerie. And about a 4 lb difference between them. Usually poor Valerie gets hurt the most...  Raquel is a little bitter :(

Raquel is.... lets just say a little mischievous with a very spirited personality as seen below. This kid never stops she is constantly climbing on or getting into something. She has fallen I don't know how many times and has scrapes and bruises.

Miss Personality!!!

Oh and did I mention she likes to color....she can find any sharpe around your house in seconds flat open it and color all sorts of things including herself. Do you see the look on her face?!!

Valerie has been in dance since August...for a couple of weeks I thought we were gonna have to stop as she was refusing to go in....but then she decided she wanted to. She is a very stubborn 3 year old. she is good most of the time but when she is bad she is really bad :)

At dance the week of Halloween they got to dress up in their costumes and we got to come in and watch. Have you ever gone into a dance class while trying to hold a toddler and take photos? Not an easy task. Couldn't really take very many.

I love this one :) Shows what a true Ham she is!!!

This was taken at the pumpkin patch...

We had a small family get together for Valerie's Birthday. We had pizza and some mexican soup...Pozole. Yummy.....We played pin the crown on the princess and made some animal puppets. Then we did a pinata...it was raining so it was done in my dining room lol!

Halloween......

I'm thinking next year we are doing the goodie thing in the early afternoon. By the time I was done with dinner and everything they (and myself) were exhasted. Valerie and Raquel were pretty upset that they had to get into their costumes. Raquel was screaming.....Valerie was running away from me. I thought about just calling it a day...but Ally was dressed and ready to go. We went to the CMA and did the trunk or treating and bounce houses.

Can't tell that 5 min before she was screaming....

This picture is classic.....Raquel is screaming...I'm laughing cause she is scared of the cow....Ally is smiling like a princess and Valerie is like look at them they look ridiculous with that cow and I'm not going near it.

Here we are at the pumpkin patch.